Reported by Luke 2020-4-10

Affected by the epidemic, downstream steel demand is weak, and steel producers have been cutting their steel output.

United States

ArcelorMittal USA is planning to shut down No. 6 blast furnace. According to the American Iron and Steel Technology Association, ArcelorMittal Cleveland No. 6 blast furnace steel production is about 1.5 million tons per year.

Brazil

Gerdau (Gerdau) announced on April 3 plans to reduce production. It also said that it will close a blast furnace with an annual capacity of 1.5 million tons, and the remaining blast furnace will have an annual capacity of 3 million tons.

Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais said that it will shut down two more blast furnaces and only maintain the operation of one blast furnace, closing a total of 4 blast furnaces.

India

The Indian Iron and Steel Administration has announced some production cuts, but it has not yet stated how much the company‘s business will suffer.

According to JSW Steel, the crude steel production for the 2019-20 fiscal year (April 1, 2019-March 31, 2020) was 16.06 million tons, down 4% year-on-year.

Japan

According to an official statement from Nippon Steel on Tuesday (April 7), it was decided to temporarily shut down the two blast furnaces in mid to late April. The No. 1 blast furnace at the Kashima Plant in Ibaraki Prefecture is expected to be discontinued in mid-April, and the No. 1 blast furnace at the Geshan Plant is expected to be discontinued in late April, but the time for resumption of production has not yet been announced. The two blast furnaces account for 15% of the company’s total production capacity.